The human body has some amazing and remarkable abilities. Scratches, cuts, and broken bones are generally no problem for the human body to mend (I mean, sure, it takes a while, but your body can actually mend the giant bones in your arms and legs with little more than some time and a splint).
But when it comes to restoring the fragile little hairs in your ear, you’re out of luck. At least, so far.
It’s truly regrettable that your body can accomplish such amazing feats of healing but can’t ever re-grow these tiny hairs. What’s going on there?
When is Hearing Impairment Permanent?
So let’s have a closer look. You’re at your doctor’s office attempting to digest the news he’s giving you: you have hearing loss. So the first question you have is whether the hearing will ever come back. And he informs you that it might or it might not.
Dramatically speaking, it’s a little anticlimactic.
But it’s also the truth. There are two basic kinds of hearing loss:
- Hearing loss caused by a blockage: You can exhibit every sign of hearing loss when your ear has some kind of blockage. A wide variety of things, from something gross (earwax) to something frightening (a tumor), can be the cause of this obstruction. Fortunately, once the blockage is removed, your hearing usually returns to normal.
- Hearing loss caused by damage: But there’s another, more common form of hearing loss. This kind of hearing loss, called sensorineural hearing loss, is irreversible. Here’s what happens: In your ear, there are tiny hairs that vibrate when struck by sound waves. When vibrations are converted into signals, they are transmitted to the brain which renders them into the sounds you perceive. But loud sounds can cause damage to the hairs and, over time, diminish your hearing to the point where you need treatment.
So the bottom line is this: you can recover from one form of hearing loss and you probably won’t know which one you’re coping with without getting a hearing exam.
Hearing Loss Treatment
Scientists haven’t discovered a “cure” for sensorineural hearing loss but they’re working on it. But your hearing loss still might be manageable. Here are some ways that the correct treatment might help you:
- Successfully manage hearing loss symptoms you may already have.
- Preserve and safeguard the hearing you still have.
- Help stave off mental decline.
- Ensure your general quality of life is unaffected or remains high.
- Stay engaged socially, keeping isolation at bay.
Of the many types of treatment available, which one is right for you depends on the extent of your hearing loss. Hearing aids are one of the easiest and most common treatment options.
Why is Hearing Loss Effectively Treated With Hearing AIds?
You can get back to the people and things you enjoy with the assistance of hearing aids. With the help of hearing aids, you can start to hear conversations, your tv, your phone, and sounds of nature once more. Hearing aids can also take some of the pressure off of your brain because you will no longer be struggling to hear.
The Best Protection is Prevention
Loud sounds and other things that would harm your hearing should be avoided and your ears should be protected against them. Hearing well is critical to your overall health and well-being. Having regular hearing exams is the best way to be certain that you are protecting your hearing.